Indonesian Carmelite Bulletin

NEWS: The 4th National Convention of Indonesian Lay Carmelite Communities

About 170 Lay Carmelites met in St. Maria Magdalena Postel Retreat House, Malang, from June 29, 2018 to July 1, 2018, for the 4thNational Convention of Indonesian Lay Carmelite Communities. They came from 18 communities from different parts of Indonesia, including North Sumatera, Central Kalimantan, and Flores. Eight Lay Carmelites from China were also attending this meeting.

The theme of this gathering was “Building the Indonesian Lay Carmelite Brotherhood Community.” This theme was taken with a purpose to build an awareness that being a member of Lay Carmelites means being called to live in community, feeling as one-hearted, affectionate and soulful as brothers and sisters in the community or with other communities in Indonesia, willing to cooperate and foster brotherhood with them.

One of the results of this convention was a Revised Statutes of Indonesian Lay Carmelite Communities. This new revised statutes would be officially enacted on July 16, 2018, to coincide with the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Maria of Mount Carmel. This meeting also decided that the 5thNational Convention of Indonesian Lay Carmelite Communities would be held in 2012 in Surabaya.